Oral Microbiology in Periodontal Health and Disease

Oral microbial community is one of the most complex bacterial florae associated with human body. Up to now, more than 700 different bacterial species have been identified from human oral cavity. Oral bacteria form communities on distinctly different surfaces, such as hard enamel and cementum, as well as on soft epithelial cells. These communities are biofilms, which are characterized by their species composition, their surface or substratum composition, and the conditioning films coating the surfaces on which they form. The composition of the resident oral microflora shows local variations in composition on distinct surfaces (e.g., tongue, cheek, teeth) due to differences in key environmental conditions. Many studies have found that certain microbial flora may be compatible with a state of periodontal health and variations in oral flora is associated with varying degrees of periodontal disease. Information about the composition and the assembly processes of oral microbiota could be used to develop effective strategy and monitoring protocols for periodontal therapy.